Fifa chief Infantino brushes off calls to quit as re-election bid gathers pace

Fifa president Gianni Infantino insists he holds the backing of the vast majority of world football and laughed off questions about whether he considered resigning over a controversial World Cup sell-off plan. Speaking in Baku before the Fifa Under-15 World Cup, Infantino adopted a defiant stance about his position following the disputed Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal. Two months ago, he faced heavy calls to stand down from the leadership role he has held since 2016.

Pressure and Demands

The heads of European football body Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf signed a letter accusing the Fifa president of breaking trust through deception. Last week, Uefa demanded that Fifa release all key documents regarding the enterprise by November 2, after Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis stated that Fifa failed to address fundamental questions. Under the proposal, which Infantino scrapped within days, a portion of Fifa's commercial rights would have been sold to a private investment firm. During a recent Fifa Council meeting, members told Infantino he was not fit to be president if he failed to provide requested documents and the rationale for the plan. Infantino did not give a clear answer on when the papers would be provided, citing a legal process.

Re-election Support

Since the controversy, Infantino has traveled to Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Cape Verde, and Japan, shoring up support so that his re-election for a fourth term next year appears inevitable. He noted that he was fully endorsed by the Asian Football Confederation following a U-turn by its president Sheikh Salman, and has the backing of all African countries. Last week, he apologized to the Fifa Council over communication and consultation regarding the enterprise. The deadline for candidates to confirm they are standing against him in the March election is November 18, and no one has filed yet.

Context

Fifa is the global governing body of association football, responsible for organizing major international tournaments like the World Cup. Leadership disputes within the organization often arise over commercial rights, governance transparency, and the distribution of funds among global member associations.